“A pillar of orthodoxy”

Died: Cowasjee Nusserwanji Dinshaw, 83, chairman of Rahnumae Mazdayasnan Sabha (RMS), Iran League (IL), Bombay Zoroastrian Jashan Committee (BZJC) and many other community organizations, on September 10, 2010 in Bombay following peripheral circulatory failure.

"One of the stalwarts of the community, he was a pillar of orthodoxy,” observed Dinshaw Mehta, chairman of the Bombay Parsi Puncha­yet (BPP) at the condolence meeting jointly convened under the auspices of the BPP, RMS, Bombay Parsee Association, IL, BZJC on October 8, 2010 at Sir J. J. School. He and his late wife Khodaparast were "nobility personified,” added Mehta appreciating that Cowasjee had proposed his name on all the three occasions he had contested the trusteeship elections.

"He had intense feelings for the Zarathushti community and had great faith in the power of Zarathushti prayers,” mentioned Vispi Dastur who had worked with Dinshaw on several organizations and was impressed with his "dedication and determination.” Dastur also viewed his senior trustee who was a scion of the enterprising and philanthropic Aden­walla family that carried the Indian flag to Aden over 150 years ago as a "storehouse of community lore” and would often request him to record stories: Sitt­ing in their Adenwalla shop at Aden was Leo, a gentle lion presented by the King of Ethiopia. It was customary for one of the brothers from the Adenwalla family to daily join the staff members at lunch. They used to employ over 100 Parsis in Aden, recalled Dastur. At the time of gahanbar celebrations, when the community came together for a meal, placed next to each plate was a topi so that the diner could cover his head whilst eating.

"The hand of God is on the community,” Dinshaw would comment at different meetings, reminisced Marzban Giara who represented the RMS at the condolence meeting. Commending his "persistence and perseverance,” he gave Dinshaw credit for bringing the sacred fire from the family agiary in Aden to the Adenwalla Agiary in Lonavala in 1976 on a chartered flight with an all Parsi crew. Dinshaw’s great-grandfather Cowasjee Dinshaw, CIE, had established an adarian in Aden in 1883. To prevent any desecration of the holy fire following the Communists takeover of South Yemen in the early 1970s Dinshaw at personal risk and cost and through the intervention of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and foreign minister Yashwantrao Chavan succeeded in his mission. Having studied the Adenwalla family history Giara referred to them starting three agiaries: in Aden, Zanzibar and Lonavala. A public holiday marked the salgirah of the Aden agiary in days of yore and the philanthropic and well loved founder Cowasjee Dinshaw was also honored with a Cowasjee Masjid in Aden being named after him, conveyed Giara.

Espousing the orthodox cause, the great-grandson was chosen as chairman of the Committee of United Zoroastrians in 1981 to contest the Anjuman Committee elections of the Bombay Parsi Punchayet. As their appeal had noted, "Make no mistake: this is not a normal septennial election. This is a straight contest between two groups holding divergent views on our religious tenets, beliefs, ceremonies and practices. On your right choice will depend the future of our religion and our community.” The keenly contested elections gave an upper hand to the Committee for Electoral Rights. The next year Dinshaw was instrumental in organizing the deputation of seven vada dasturs to meet Indira Gandhi in Delhi to convince her to exempt the Parsi community from the purview of the Adoption of Chil­dren’s Bill 1980.

Cowasjee Dinshaw (top and above center with pugree) with family when fire from Aden was brought to Bombay

He was chairman/president of several charitable trusts like Cowasjee Dinshaw Trust, Sir H. C. Din­shaw Kt Trust, Lona­vala and Khan­dala Parsee Anjuman, Bai Soonabai Hirji Agiary Charity Trust, Shri Karelwadi Tha­kurd­war Zarthosti Mandal, Bhuj Kutch Anjuman, The Young Zoroastrian Society and the Zoroastrian (16th East Bombay) Bharat Scout and Zoroastrian (71st East Bombay) Bharat Guide Group and trustee of Zoroastrian Association, Zoroastrian Building Fund, Bai Motibai Nawroji Charity Trust, Cama Baug Charity Trust Fund, Ashburner Agiary.

"He was a colossus that strode an arena of religion and its preserve for more years than one can remember. He has served our faith and headed numerous organizations as well, and guided (the) community with undying affection, loyalty, passion and compassion… He stood tall, upholding his beliefs and principles,” noted a condolence letter from Dinshaw Cawasji, president of The Bangalore Parsee Zoroastrian Anjuman, recalling the "icon’s” long-standing association as trustee of their Anjuman.

In appreciation of his "commitment (and) dedicated services” as director and vice chairman of The Zoroastrian Co-operative Bank Limited that was founded by his grandfather Sir Hormusji Cawasji Dinshaw, its current chairman H. N. Sinor sent a condolence resolution to the family.

When he was president of the Lonavala and Khandala Dokhma Trust, in order to protect the land from encroachment he sought eminent solicitor Homi Banaji’s advice and auctioned 71 plots of the dakhma land to Parsis. Since the land carried a covenant for sale to Parsis only Dinshaw was worried whether they would find buyers and was so elated when the bidding far exceeded the minimum amount of Rs 70 per sq yard, Mehta provided the details.

As noted the condolence resolution passed at the meeting, "He was a humble person and led a simple life without any pomp or ostentation. He treated everyone with great respect.” Corroborating this sentiment was Yasmin Pavri whose deceased father had worked as Dinshaw’s secretary for 40 years. Commending his "tender love and care” she referred to their family being invited to Dinshaw’s farm in Anchipur, near Bangalore, and how he had graciously taught her to eat with a knife and fork when she was a young girl.

Drawing a salary of Rs 125 for imparting religious education at seven schools Ratamai Peer remembered approaching him for a hike in salary when she was assured that for religious work God would help in other ways. For the annual competitions organized by the Iran League no decisions would be taken without consulting him, she added, referring to his professed determination to preserve property bequeathed by his ancestors.

"The two loves of his life were prayers and helping people,” remarked his daughter Freny Jehangir explaining how when the needy approached him he would "listen to their grievances, offer tea and make them feel at home.” When the daughter complained that people were wrongly taking advantage of charities, his advice to her was: "Even if one person blesses you, you have done a good job. Never mind if nine people fool you, God will give you the strength to discern right from the wrong.”

Son Saroosh who has taken over the father’s mantle was surprised that his work diary showed appointments until October. Although his legs and eyes were giving him problems and he needed assistance, he was at his office even two days before his demise, breathing his last just a day prior to his 84th birthday. "A very private person, he was a member of several clubs to which he never went unless required to propose some member’s name at election time,” recalls Saroosh. He enjoyed being in the company of his family and his Great Dane Coco.

Born in Lahore Dinshaw had studied at the Doon School in Dehradun and on completing his education joined the family business of Cowasjee Dinshaw Brothers (Aden) who were one of the first Indians to be owners of a steamship company. When the Aden government nationalized the family firm he returned to India and attended to dairy farming in Bangalore and Nashik. Over the years his business interests encompassed Uni­ted Salt Works and Industries Limited, Sir H. C. Adenwalla Trading Private Limited and Cowasjee Dinshaw and Sons Private Limited.

"His mere presence at our meetings was an inspiration to all of us,” remarked Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy, president of Bombay Panjrapole, in his condolence message regretting the passing away of their trustee and "true benefactor.” Their condolence resolution further recalled "his invaluable advice which he so willingly rendered and the active role taken by him in the development of Bombay Panjrapole.”

At the condolence meeting Panjrapole trustee Jaysukhlal Bhuta paid his personal respects as did Marazban Wadia who sang a composition in his honor. Hearing the tributes BPP trustee Khojeste Mistree was prompted to convey his hope that "the family will continue the traditions” and keep alive his memory.

"I looked up to him as a role model who always had the community’s interest at heart without making any show about it,” wrote BPP trustee Yazdi Desai on the WAPIZ (World Alliance of Parsi Irani Zarthoshtis) Page in The Free Press Journal of September 24, 2010. Acknowledging that it was "Cowasjee who was my proposer for the BPP elections that gave my candidature added strength,” Desai noted, "Though he was not knighted by the Queen of England, to me he will always be Sir Cowasjee Dinshaw.”

The unpretentious stalwart is survived by his sons Anooshirwan and Saroosh, daughter Freny Adi Jehangir, and sister Makki Patel.